Radio socket



Sept. 17, 1940. A E 2,215,366

RADIO SOCKET Original Filed Aug. 4, 1933 MIL 701V ALDEN INVENTOR RNEY Patented Sept. 17, 1940 PATENT OFFICE RADIO SOCKET Milton Alden, Brockton, Mass.

Original application August 4, 1933, Serial N04 Divided and this application March 10, 1938, Serial No. 195,045

1 Claim. (Cl. 173-328) This application is a division from my application Serial Number 683,575, filed August 4,

1933, for a Socket for vacuum tubes, etc., which has matured into Patent No. 2,119,517.

My invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to types of sockets adapted to be mounted upon a panel or plate of metal or other suitable material.

One object is to provide a simple, compact and effective construction which can be made economically.

Another object is to provide a compact construction which can be readily installed.

Another object is to provide a socket of the foregoing character which has effective contacts. Another object is to provide a constructionin which the insulating body of the socket can be secured in the panel without the use of screws or. rivets.

when so inserted, will either automatically lock itself in position or may easily be so locked in place that it will neither be loose nor be susceptible to accidental dislodgment therefrom.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide a contact which is provided with means for blocking off the contact making portion proper from the terminal portion thereof, so as to reduce the liability of any flux or solder used upon the terminal portion, falling upon or spreading to, the contact making portion thereof.

Yet a further object is to provide a contact with an aperture suitable for receiving connecting wires of various sizes.

Still another purpose is to furnish a contact with restraining projections which will prevent the contact from passing completely through a substantially cylindrical passageway in a socket.

Another object of this invention is to provide asocket which shall have a greatly lengthened path for surface leakage between the various contact members thereof.

In carrying out my invention I provide a molded insulating body which can be inserted into a hole in a supporting panel and secured therein by any suitable means.

I also provide accompanying drawing, where'- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a socket embodying one form of my invention mounted in a fragment of a panel board or plate.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one form of contact which may be employed in the socket of m Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the socket of Fig. 1, with some of the contacts omitted therefrom.

Fig. 4 is an edge View of the socket showing it in position in a panel which is shown in section and showing the form of contact of Fig. 2 in position in the socket.

Fig. 5 is a side view and partial section of the insulating body of the socket of Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

In one form of my invention the socket body I5 may conveniently be formed of molded insulating material of suitable character, and may be cylindrical in shape and adapted to be inserted into a hole in the panel plate l6, and to be retained therein by any convenient means known in the art.

The upper part of the socket body is provided with a flange or rim l9 and a central web or platform 20 having apertures 2| arranged to accommodate the proper number of contacts. These holes are arranged close to the rim l9 so that the rim serves as a locating ring around the upper ends of the holes 2|. The insulating body is provided with depending portions 22 which are preferably tubular in section and which are preferably integral with the outer wall 23 of the body l5. This wall can therefore be made quite thin and yet be reinforced by the tubular projections 22.

Similarly the platform 20 may be thin, if so desired, although not necessarily so made, as it will be reinforced by the tubular members 22 as well as by the rim I9.

When the contact members are seated in the socket body, as shown in Fig. 4, the surface leakage path, on the underside of the socket, between adjacent contacts will be much longer than the minimum distance between these contacts, as any current leakage will have to travel an additional path equal to the longitudinal distance by which members 22 project from the under surface of the socket.

The contacts may be formed in various ways.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 4 each contact 24 is tubular and split longitudinally so as to be resilient. At

its upper end it is provided with a small projection or projections 25 to hold the thrust of the tube prong when it is being inserted into the contact. This contact is also provided with an outwardly projecting lug 26 which may be forced outwardly after the parts are assembled or it may be in the form of a spring finger which \will automatically spring into place when the contact is inserted so as to hold the contact against withdrawal and also so as to hold the contact tightly in place, sothat it shall not rattle or be loose in the socket. This contact may be provided with a groove 21 so as to form a pair of jaws adapted to receive between them the wire to be soldered, and thus temporarily to hold the wire preparatory to and during the soldering operation. These contacts will, of course, be made of the appropriate size for the tube prongs intended to be inserted into them.

It will be noted that the tubular portions of insulation 22 not only support the contacts but they provide extended surface areas between the respective contacts so as to insure a maximum safety against creeping of moisture, oxidization, etc., which might interfere with the operation of the set.

It should be understood that the contacts and aamsee insulation can be made so as to permit the insertion of the contacts either from the top or from the bottom. While there are many advantages in havingthe lugs of the contacts automatically interlock when the contacts are put in position,

some advantages may be had in the use 01' contacts which can be readily inserted into passages or recesses in the insulation and in which it is necessary to expand the contact or bend a lug at one end or the other in order to hold the contact in place. These constructions, however, as well as those provided for automatic locking may be considered as self locking as they require no screws, rivets or the like to hold them in place. 7

operablewithout the use of tools.

MILTON ALDEN.

- a wire while soldering it in place, said jaws being 2 

